Officials break ground on new Texoma Medical Center in Denison

DENISON, Tex. -- Officials at Texoma Medical Center broke ground on their brand new facility at the corner of State Road 691 and Highway 75. Daniel Gotera reports from Denison.

It’s been a day three years in the making. After all the meeting and late night negotiations, the new TMC is ready to be built.

A representative from Universal Health Services joined hospital board chairman Jerdy Gary and CEO Dr. Mackey Watkins to officially break ground on the new TMC.

People from across Grayson County showed up for the event Thursday morning. The event was given the name ‘Building for the Future’.

The new facility will cost $137 million to build and feature 252 beds, all of which will be in private rooms. It will also feature new state-of-the-art emergency room and intensive care unit, and is expected to be completed by the spring of 2010.

"It couldn't be more special," Chairman of the board Jerdy Gary said.

Gary, along with hospital CEO Dr. Mackey Watkins, and officials from across Grayson County attended the "Building for the Future" ceremony Thursday morning.

"The service that we are going to be able to provide to the patients of north Texas and southern Oklahoma will be unprecedented the new physicians that will be brought in we will be truly a regional hospital," Gary said.

"Historically, it’s a monumental day for TMC. I mean, it’s a dream come true and we couldn't ask for anything more," Dr. Watkins said.

The new hospital will also feature more physicians, using state of the art equipment the likes of which might not even be seen in Dallas.

"Inside those walls will be state-of-the-art equipment compared to anything that has been built in the Metroplex in the last 10 years. It’s incredible," Gary said.

The hospital will be a part of the increased development at the intersection, which will bring a number of restaurants and hotels to area, not to mention decrease the response time for emergency personnel trying to reach TMC.

"I think the location the visibility the accessibility for the region will be much improved this intersection is going to become like a magnet,” Watkins added.

Officials say construction should take around 18 months, putting the completion date around spring of 2010.

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